Method for autonomously parking and un-parking a motor vehicle

1. A method for autonomously parking or un-parking a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a location of the motor vehicle relative to a parking area;

setting a destination location within the parking area;

generating a path comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a first set of nodes from the location of the motor vehicle;

(b) assigning a cost to each node in the first set of nodes;

(c) selecting a lowest cost node from the first set of nodes;

(d) generating another set of nodes from the selected node;

(e) assigning a cost to each of the newly generated nodes;

(f) selecting a lowest cost node from all of the nodes;

(g) repeating steps (d)-(f) until a lowest cost node is located at the destination location; and

(h) setting a path from the location of the motor vehicle to the destination location comprising the last selected lowest cost node and parent nodes connected to the last selected lowest cost node; and

autonomously driving the motor vehicle along the path from the location of the motor vehicle to the destination location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the first set of nodes includes generating a plurality of nodes each a fixed distance from the location of the motor vehicle and each at a different steering angle.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein generating the another set of nodes includes generating a plurality of nodes each the fixed distance from the selected node of the first set of nodes and each at one of the different steering angles.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the fixed distance is approximately 2 meters.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein generating the first set of nodes and the another set of nodes includes generating a set of forward nodes in front of the motor vehicle and a set of reverse nodes behind the motor vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the set of forward nodes includes a node straight ahead of the motor vehicle, four nodes to the right of the motor vehicle, and four nodes to the left of the motor vehicle.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein assigning a cost to each of the newly generated nodes includes adding a base cost to the cost from the selected node from which the newly generated nodes are generated.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein assigning a cost to each of the newly generated nodes further includes adding a turning cost, wherein a value of the turning cost increases with an increase in the steering angle.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein assigning a cost to each of the newly generated nodes further includes adding a reverse cost if the newly generated node is behind the motor vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the base cost of a newly generated node is a function of the distance of the newly generated node from the destination location.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a path further comprises a step of determining whether a newly generated node would be in an obstructed area of the parking map, and wherein any nodes in obstructed areas are not generated.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a path further includes a step of determining whether a newly generated node has been previously generated and wherein any new nodes that have been previously generated are not generated again.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a path further includes the step of comparing the cost of a newly generated node to a threshold value and not generating the node if the cost of the node exceeds the threshold value.

14. A method for autonomously parking or un-parking a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

locating the motor vehicle within a parking area;

setting a destination location within the parking area;

generating a node tree from the location of the motor vehicle to the destination location, wherein the node tree includes a plurality of linked nodes organized into separate generations, each node having a cost associated therewith, wherein the cost of a node is equal to a base cost plus an inherited cost and a turning cost;

selecting a path from the location of the motor vehicle to the destination location having the lowest cost; and

autonomously driving the motor vehicle along the path from the location of the motor vehicle to the destination location.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein a generation cost is added to the cost of a node if the generation of the node exceeds a predetermined threshold.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the turning cost is a function of the steering angle value of the node.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the inherited cost is equal to the cost of the linked previous generation node.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein a set of coordinates in the parking area are blocked from having nodes generated by the node tree.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein a reverse cost is added to the cost of the node, wherein the reverse cost is a function of the distance to the destination location.

20. A method for autonomously parking or un-parking a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

locating the motor vehicle relative to a parking area;

setting a destination location within the parking area;

generating a path comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a first set of nodes from the location of the motor vehicle;

(b) assigning a cost to each node in the first set of nodes;

(c) selecting a lowest cost node from the first set of nodes;

(d) generating another set of nodes linked to the selected node and offset from the selected node by a fixed distance and a steering angle;

(e) assigning a cost to each of the newly generated nodes, wherein the cost of a node is equal to a base cost plus an inherited cost from the selected node, a turning cost, and a reverse cost if the newly generated node is behind the selected node;

(f) selecting a lowest cost node from all of the nodes;

(g) repeating steps (d)-(f) until a lowest cost node is located at the destination location; and

(h) setting a path from the location of the motor vehicle to the destination location comprising the last selected lowest cost node and parent nodes connected to the last selected cost node; and

autonomously driving the motor vehicle along the path from the location of the motor vehicle to the destination location.